A Method for Improvement of Sperm Quality of an Ejaculated Human Specimen Using Bovine Cervical Mucus as a Biological Filter

A method is described for improving the quality of semen from subfertile men. Semen samples were filtered through bovine cervical mucus (collected at estrus) into spermatozoa-free seminal plasma (from the same ejaculate following centrifugation, or from azoospermic donor ejaculates). Evaluations were performed after 2 to 4 hours of filtration at 34 C. The filtered spermatozoa found in the seminal plasma reservoir were characterized by a significant increase in the percentage of morphologically normal spermatozoa, higher sperm motility, and a higher percentage of living sperm. Sperm density was in the range deemed adequate for fertility. After filtration into human cervical mucus, sperm penetration tests were performed with good results, which could be improved by the addition of caffeine to the semen. This method was found to be reliable and to enable the use of the filtered spermatozoa for insemination (AIH).